It is the longest day of the year and I am feeling terrific. Everything is wonderful – great weather, fun projects, tasty food, good people. The present moment is filled with appreciation and pleasure, even as I type this post.

Lately I have not written much about my life. If you are wondering, here is a brief synopsis. Ray and I celebrate our fifth anniversary today. So happy. We are immersed in city life at the moment but we are dreaming about building a studio back up in the country and planning the steps we have to take to get there.

Even though there is a lot to look forward to, life in the city is going well right now. I have been dabbling in various niches and find myself being drawn to, well, drawing. How many projects does it take before you begin calling yourself a fashion illustrator? Because with more than a few projects filed, I think that perhaps a fashion illustrator is what I have become, which pleases me.

I also have a part time job helping out at a boutique in Yorkville, a neighborhood in Toronto with fancy restaurants, designer clothing, expensive coffee, million dollar condominiums and other luxuries. It is nice to get out of the studio a couple days a week, freelancing is so solitary sometimes. Work has a pleasant atmosphere with friendly and interesting people. My job description is not particularly impressive, but I get to do a bit of everything – including patternmaking and cutting for the house label, tasks I enjoy.

These days I spend a lot of time walking… to work, to market, to this and that. Toronto is beginning to feel like a small town as I often bump into people I know. I try to take the shady routes through various neighborhoods, and can often be seen carrying a parosol as I have taken an interest in sun-protective accessories.

There is always things to see in the city, and a rich variety of new foods to try, and so many events happening all the time. As a rural Ontarian I had an erroneous assumption that Toronto was snooty and rude.Â Yet once the city becomes familiar it is a very friendly and fun place to be, especially in the early days of summer. Strange to admit, I really like living in Toronto.

so yesterday i said to my boyfriend, ‘wow, today was such a long day, i feel like i got so much done.’
He said, ‘are you making a joke cause it’s the longest day of the year?’
I didn’t even know, but I too have been loving these long summer days and biking and strolling around the city.

Rebecca – I think I am resistant to being called a designer because it is not something I hold deep passion for. Sure I do the odd freelance job designing but more often I just like to help designers execute their ideas through drawing or drafting. To me, the processes of design are more interesting than designing itself.

Also, I don’t care for the job description of designer-as-employee nor do I have the ambition to be a designer-entrepreneur… even though I am trained for that.

I think truly I’m not at the point of my life where I need any sort of title for what I am or what I do yet… I just do the things that make me happy and let myself become whatever comes naturally. Which is blogging, fashion illustration, patternmaking and sewing.

No. what I mean is it’s way to small, but still true, for me to say “That’s cool” about somebody doing what makes them happy. Phew. Not always easy to communicate without the subtle voice inflection. =D